Federal Communications Commission (FCC) The USA has taken a step to secure the rights of incumbent operators to the mobile satellite service spectrum (MSS), rejecting applications from SpaceX and other companies for access to frequencies, which are becoming increasingly valuable for direct device communication technology (direct-to-device, D2D).
23 April 2026 year, the commission published the decision, aimed at preserving market certainty for companies, which already use MSS bands to connect portable devices — from American Globalstar and Iridium («Big LEO») to ranges 2 gigahertz (GHz) and L-band. This decision came a little more than a week after that, as Amazon announced plans to acquire Globalstar, which will allow the company to enter the promising D2D market without having to wage a new battle for spectrum.
SpaceX has asked the FCC to review the Big LEO spectrum sharing framework, and has also requested permission to use this range to improve its D2D capabilities. Iridium also insisted on allocating more of the Big LEO spectrum, and Canada's Kepler Communications was trying to gain access to the US market in part of the same range.
The FCC decision states: in view of the nature of the MSS, particularly the prevalence and portability of mobile devices, as well as the use of omnidirectional antennas, there is a significant risk of harmful interference to existing users if additional use is permitted in these bands. These challenges are combined with investment risks, economic growth and innovation, that they are provided by the current structure of Big LEO, дають комісії підстави для висновку, that these petitions are not subject to further consideration, and their deviation is in the public interest. The FCC also rejected an application by Spanish start-up Sateliot for access to the US market in part of the spectrum 2 GHz and a request from Texas-based AST SpaceMobile to operate in a portion of this spectrum outside the United States. The agency reported, which will not consider additional US commercial systems to operate internationally in range 2 GHz, as it would undermine the competitiveness of EchoStar's current licensee in the global market.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said, that the decision will provide the US leadership in the deployment of D2D services from space, providing communication for conventional devices outside the reach of terrestrial cell towers. That is why the commission is focusing on that this year, to make the rules most favorable for investment and innovation in the field of D2D services.
Source: https://spacenews.com